Question

While orienting a new medical assistant to the facility, you find a patient who is unresponsive in the exam room. You yell to the medical assistant, "Go get the AED!" Which response by the medical assistant demonstrates closed-loop communication?

-"I'll call 9-1-1."
-"OK."
-"I'll go get the AED."
-"Begin CPR, I'll gather the equipment."

Answer 1

The medical assistant's response of "I'll go get the AED" best demonstrates closed-loop communication by acknowledging and confirming the instruction given, ensuring clarity in the urgency of the situation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Within a healthcare setting, closed-loop communication is crucial for ensuring accurate and confirmable interactions, especially in emergency situations. In the scenario where a medical assistant is asked to get the AED (automated external defibrillator) for a patient who is unresponsive, the response that demonstrates closed-loop communication is "I'll go get the AED." This response verifies the message received and communicates back the intended action, closing the loop. In contrast, a simple acknowledgment such as "OK" or a different action like "I'll call 9-1-1" does not close the loop because it does not confirm the specific task assigned. The response, "Begin CPR, I'll gather the equipment," while initiating a collaborative effort, does not explicitly confirm acquiring the AED as instructed.